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Emily Sakzewski, wires

Commonwealth Games 2022 medal tally: six charts that explain Australia's success

The 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham came to a close with Australia topping the medal table with 178 medals.

But that's not the whole story. 

Here are six charts that help tell the story of Australia's Commonwealth Games success.

1. Australia won the most gold medals in Birmingham

Australia ended the games in Birmingham leading the medal tally with 178 medals, including 67 gold,  57 silver and 54 bronze medals.

Australia's medal total was closely followed by England on 176 and Canada on 92. 

2. Australia has won the most Commonwealth gold medals ever

Since the first Commonwealth Games held in Canada in 1930, Australia has accrued a record 1,001 gold medals. 

Australia arrived in Birmingham with 934 gold medals and needed to reach 66 medals to hit the 1,000 milestone.

On day 10 the Diamonds did the honours, winning Australia's 1,000th gold medal with a thrilling 55-51 victory over Jamaica in the netball final.

The last time Australia had won gold in the netball was 2014 in Glasgow. (AP: Mike Egerton)

The Kookaburras then took that record even further, winning their seventh straight men's hockey Commonwealth gold medal, bringing Australia's total to 1,001.

Host country England currently has the second-highest number of Commonwealth gold medals at 773, followed by Canada, India and New Zealand.

3. Birmingham wasn't Australia's most successful games

While Birmingham was a massive success for our athletes, Australians have won more medals at six previous games.

The 1994 games in Canada were Australia's best in terms of gold medals with 87, and the 2006 games in Melbourne remain Australia's best for overall medals at 221.

4. Swimming tops the medal tally and Emma McKeon reached all-time status

Probably unsurprisingly, Australia has had most of its gold medal success in swimming, athletics and cycling.

But what might surprise some is that a large portion of Australia's Commonwealth gold medals were won in the shooting and weightlifting categories.

The Australian swimming team won nearly half (65) of the 156 total medals on offer, including 25 of the 52 golds.

Emma McKeon made the podium eight times, including winning six gold medals, to make her the most decorated Commonwealth Games athlete of all time with 20 total medals and 14 gold.

"The results are what I strive for and work hard for, but it’s the memories I make and who I share it with that I know I will keep forever," McKeon wrote in an Instagram post.

5. For the first time, there were more medal events for women

The Commonwealth Games has included events for women since its inception, but until 2018 there had always been more medal events for men.

The 2018 Gold Coast games was the first time there had been an equal number of medal events for men and women.

Birmingham took it even further, becoming the first Commonwealth Games and major multi-sport event to have more medal events for women (136) than men (134), with the introduction of T20 cricket for women and more mixed events such as synchronised diving.

6. Australia topped the para-sport medal table in Birmingham

The Commonwealth Games are the only major multi-sport event with an integrated para program.

The 1994 games in Canada introduced events for athletes with a disability into the programme, and the 2022 games in Manchester became the first where para-athletes were fully integrated into their national teams.

Birmingham saw the biggest para program in history, with 43 events across eight sports.

Australia topped the para-sport medal table too with 37 medals overall, including 13 gold, with the most medals won in swimming and athletics.

ABC/Wires

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